Bullpen meltdowns cool off Rockies

Five blown saves in recent 10-game stretch proving costly

Rockies reliever Carlos Estevez reacts to being pulled after giving up the lead to the Marlins during the ninth inning Aug. 5 at Coors Field. (Jack Dempsey / FR42408 AP)

PHILADELPHIA — There was extra sizzle in Adam Ottavino's fastball, and a touch more wickedness to his slider. Throwing just 15 pitches, the right-hander struck out three Texas Rangers in the ninth inning Thursday to secure the Rockies' 12-9 victory.

It was as if the closer was saying, "Enough is enough."

Enough of the deflating blown saves and crippling bullpen collapses that pushed the Rockies' hope of being a surprise playoff contender to the brink of extinction.

"Normally, it's just another game, but we really needed this win," Ottavino said after securing his first save of the season.

Colorado emerged from the All-Star break as the hottest team in baseball, winning 14-of-19 games to put itself into the wild-card conversation. But over the next 10 days, the relief corps, general manager Jeff Bridich's top offseason priority, melted down.

Over a crucial eight-game homestand, plus two games at Texas, the Rockies went 4-6 — with the bullpen blowing five saves and posting a 6.54 ERA. Over 31M innings, relievers gave up 36 hits and 17 walks. Instead of climbing to the top of the wild-card chase, Colorado fell to the fringes of contention.

"A lot of good things are happening with this team and we are playing some really good baseball," manager Walt Weiss. "When you're playing against these playoff-caliber teams, just playing for eight innings or eight and a third will get you beat. You will get exposed by a really good club."

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During a 9-2 run from July 21-31, Colorado's bullpen was stellar, posting a 3.07 ERA. But overall, the relievers have been the team's weakest link. The bullpen's cumulative 4.89 ERA is the third-highest in the National League and its 19 blown saves are the fourth-most. If the season ended now, the relievers' ERA, 5.53, would be the highest since 2004.

Bridich's offseason acquisitions of left-hander Jake McGee and aging right-handers Jason Motte and Chad Qualls did not pan out. Hampered by injuries and ineffectiveness, the trio has a combined ERA of 5.36.

McGee, acquired with promising right-handed prospect German Marquez from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for slugging outfielder Corey Dickerson, began the season with 15 saves in 19 opportunities. But he has not been the same since a knee injury cost him three weeks in June. His 4.89 ERA is considerably higher than his 3.03 career mark.

Motte, 34, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract, is on the disabled list for the second time this season. He is sidelined with a strained rotator cuff and there is no timetable for his return. In 26 appearances, he has a 5.66 ERA and has given up six home runs.

Qualls, who signed for two years, $6 million, is beginning a Triple-A rehab assignment after a bout with colitis that caused him to lose 16 pounds. In 36 appearances, the 37-year-old has a 5.61 ERA and 1.68 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched), far below average.

"Frankly, some of the veterans we have in this bullpen have to get healthy and step up and start pitching better," Bridich said. "I believe that will happen. I believe that can happen. Hopefully this stretch is just a patch of inconsistency."

Bridich also expressed confidence that his younger guns, especially Carlos Estevez, 23, and Scott Oberg, 27, will come around. Estevez was given the closer job but after blowing two ninth-inning leads in a span of four days recently, he was demoted to a setup role.

"We have the same bullpen now that we did when we were wining all of those games in a row," Bridich said. "So it's basically the same guys. It's unfortunate, the timing of it for some of this, the growing pains, if you want to use that terminology. It will be interesting to see how quickly we rebound and how quick the learning process is."

Estevez, capable of throwing a 100 mph fastball, had seven saves in seven tries from July 10-Aug. 4. But he was at the epicenter of the Rockies' recent meltdown, prompted Weiss to pull Estevez from the closer role and replacing him with Ottavino.

Estevez says he will rebound.

"For sure I will," said Estevez, 2-7 with a 5.05 ERA in 45 appearances. "I've just got to keep grinding right now. Whatever you've been through, it's gone."

Bridich, however, admitted that pitching late innings in big games presents a major challenge for Estevez and Oberg.

"It's funny, lately, to see what pressure can do to young pitchers," he said.

But Estevez dismissed the idea that he was cracking with games on the line.

"The games do mean (more) because we're in the race, but it's like I said before, sometimes stuff like this is going to happen," Estevez said. "You've got to shake it off and (move) ahead."

The Rockies have used 18 relievers but only Ottavino (no earned runs allowed in 13 innings) and left-hander Boone Logan (2.86 ERA over 34M innings) have had consistent success. Ottavino, however, said the bullpen has the talent to get the job done.

"No doubt about it," he said. "It's just a matter of executing. At the end of the day, the difference between the best pitcher in the league and the worst pitcher is very small. We certainly have the talent, but it's about executing and being consistent and making good pitch choices."

"It's human nature," Weiss said. "But our guys earn respect and trust with the way they prepare and the way they compete. And everybody knows that we are all doing that."

Bridich, the man charged with finding the piece for the bullpen puzzle, offered this assessment: "It's kind of been a roller-coaster season for the bullpen. There have been some really high highs and really low lows."

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